Bloomfield Protesters Pack City Hall, Criticize Accused Councilman

Bloomfield, NJ - Using recent bribery accusations against Bloomfield 1st Ward Councilman Elias Chalet as a lynchpin, dozens of protesters used the City Council meeting on Monday to voice their “distaste with what they perceive as corruption within the town’s government,” according to a report.

The effort was organized by a local grassroots group, Citizens Organized to Rapidly Remove Underhanded Political Takers (CORRUPT), who were partly motivated by the November arrest of Chalet for allegedly taking $15,000 in bribes, PolitickerNJ reported.

According to the NJ Office of the Attorney General, Chalet, 53, of Bloomfield, allegedly promised a local business owner that he would use his position on the council to ensure that the township went ahead with its planned purchase of the man’s commercial property.

• See related article: Bloomfield Councilman Charged With Taking $15K Bribe

The group is also concerned with a subpoena seeking a broad range of data related to property sales and purchases in the municipality, issued by the Superior Court of New Jersey in December, PolitickerNJ reported.

• See related article: Bloomfield Sent Subpeona After Councilman Arrested: Court Wants Property Sales Info